Search Results for: blog understanding the language of birth

Preparing for the Birth of a Special Needs Child

Technology has made many things possible for the human race. From landing on the moon to never getting lost here on earth with a GPS device, technology has made the impossible seem possible. When it comes to pregnancy, technology has meant that we can learn a great deal about our child before she is even born. Sometimes, that means knowing whether or not your child has a special health need. Knowing ahead of time that you will be raising a child with a special need can help you prepare better for your child’s arrival. It will give you time to … Continue reading →

What is Active Birth?

Active Birth is a term coined by Janet Balaskas, author and founder of the modern Active Birth movement. The idea of Active Birth was introduced in the late 1970’s, but it is not a new idea. In fact, Active Birth is the way women gave birth throughout most of modern history. According to Balaskas, around three hundred years ago, doctors changed the way women birthed from the active role the mother played in her own birth to the more passive role of patient that continues for most women today. The Active Birth movement and center founded by Balaskas in London … Continue reading →

Understanding Charlotte Mason Vocabulary F-H

In previous posts, I and other homeschool bloggers here at families.com have discussed our experiences with charlotte mason curriculum. In my last post, I supplied Charlotte Mason Vocabulary for the letters A – B, and C-E. This article will cover the letters G-H. French: French was the first foreign language of choice in the Charlotte Mason Parents National Educational Union Schools. This is more because of the schools proximity to France than anything else is. Students were also taught German and Italian. It may make sense for American Homeschoolers to study Latin languages first because these are more useful. Regardless, … Continue reading →

Understanding the Language of Breastfeeding

I’ve said it more than once in this blog; the time to learn about breastfeeding is when you are still pregnant. Trying to read through the breastfeeding books when you are exhausted and dealing with a newborn will leave you in tears. Spend some time during your pregnancy taking breastfeeding class, reading books and visiting a La Leche League meeting. When you spend time preparing in advance, you will feel more confident. If an issue does arise, you will probably remember reading about it and will be more likely to feel confident handling the situation. This blog contains some of … Continue reading →

Understanding the Language of Pregnancy

When you become pregnant, you will soon learn that pregnancy has a vocabulary all its own. When you visit your doctor or midwife, you will hear new words and may be nervous to ask. Learning some of the commonly used terms can help you feel more confident about your pregnancy and in communicating with your health care provider. Alpha Fetoprotein Test is a blood test done early in the second trimester to detect the level of alpha fetoprotein in the pregnant woman’s blood. High levels can indicate a brain or spinal cord defect. Low levels can indicate an increased risk … Continue reading →

Understanding the Language of Birth

Throughout your pregnancy, you will likely be reading about birth. You will encounter some words and phrases that will be unfamiliar. Learning some of the common language used during birth will help you feel more confident and prepared. Active labor is the phase of labor when your cervix reaches four centimeters until it is fully dilated. These contractions are more intense than early labor contractions. Analgesic medications are used to help dull the pain of labor. Some of these medications are given intravenously through an IV and others are injected into the muscle tissue. Back Labor occurs when the mother … Continue reading →

Insurance Blog Week In Review November 14-20, 2006

It seems like the right time for the Insurance Blog “week in review” to kick off! For me insurance has been like gum stuck on the bottom of my shoe, I started insurance in 1982 when I was 19-years-old. When I started there were no computers, agents rated manually–with paper, pencil and calculators. I was able to see how each policyholders rate was calculated, and why everything actually made a difference. My first job with insurance was a wonderful experience, I worked with a man who was an ex-motorcycle “member?”–gone right. When I gave birth to my oldest child, my … Continue reading →

Child Speech and Language Development

Many parents wonder is my child’s speech developing normally? Does my child understand everything she should? Review the following general guidelines for speech and language development and find out if your child is on track. 6 months Babbling and using a number of different sounds like ma, da, ba, etc. Responds to his name Responds to human voices by turning his head Responds to the tone of the voice whether friendly or angry 12 months Uses one or more words with meaning (the same word is used to mean the same thing each time), may be a word fragment such … Continue reading →

Out of the Spotlight

Like it or not, there are some seasons in parenting when one particular child seems to dominate the spotlight. This can be for both good and bad reasons. Take the example of a very good friend of mine whose 17-year-old daughter has put her family through quite a wild rollercoaster ride. It has been a trying time in my friend’s life, leaving her 14-year-old daughter to wonder where she stands in all of this. Then there is my family…my oldest son who just hit a milestone in life with turning 18. We are also preparing for his high school graduation … Continue reading →

Female Dogs Might Think Differently from Male Dogs

Maybe I’ll learn by osmosis A recent article on MSNBC posited that perhaps female dogs are more intelligent than male dogs. Or at least, that’s what the sensationalist headline might lead readers to think. What’s really going on is that a study from the University of Vienna may have found evidence that male and female dogs think in slightly different ways. The study, led by cognitive biologist Corsin Muller, tested domesticated dogs for their comprehension of “object permanence.” Object permanence is a physical law stating that when an object disappears from view, that doesn’t mean that it’s ceased to exist … Continue reading →